Hopeful Goodbyes
by skywolf666
Summary: She didn't want to leave him and he was scared to let her go alone. Sometimes though, logic can be beaten by faith, even though the two never had reason to believe. SheLloyd. The scene I always pictured between them...
1. A Bracelet and a Bell

She sighed under her breath, careful to keep any sounds she could possibly make to a bare minimum. She still couldn't believe it would only be a few short hours before she would be leaving the party to head to the Mana Cannon. Something felt wrong, and she desperately had been trying to convince herself that it was all for the best, and she wouldn't be apart from her friends for very long. The others had all come to wish her luck, even Kratos, though she had ignored his few words of encouragement and simply nodded when he was done. She had no love for traitors. But the one person she had hoped to see before she left had yet to even look at her, and stung with rejection, Sheena readied her pack.

She jumped suddenly as a pair of gloved hands slid over her eyes, effectively blinding her and stopping her from moving her head. Her first instinct was to grab the person's wrists and throw whoever it was to the ground, but the accompanying chuckle calmed her heart and she managed to smile as he leaned close and whispered into her ear, "Guess who?"

"I'm going to guess... Yuan?" Sheena teased, reaching for the humour that simply wasn't there as Lloyd's hands dropped away from her face. Turning to look over her shoulder, she took in his dejected expression and a haunting emptiness in his familiar adust eyes. Without a word, she moved over on the piece of rubble she had been using as a seat, inviting him to sit beside her. He took her invitation just as silently, flopping down beside her with a loud sigh. "You don't look so good... Is it Kratos?"

Lloyd stiffened at the mention of the name, his hands reaching reflexively for his blades. They fell into his lap a second later, and he smiled ruefully at Sheena, who wore a very tiny smile. Tilting his head back, he let the fading sun rain down on his face, muttering with closed eyes, "It's... strange, you know? I can't believe I'm fighting beside him again..."

"You said it yourself, our goals coincide with his, that's the only reason you're letting him get anywhere near you." Sheena gently reminded him, though it didn't seem to work. With a shake of her head, she lightly punched his cheek, scolding softly, "C'mon you, you can't mope around like this, it's weird. Besides," Flushing lightly, she added sheepishly, "I was hoping you were coming over here to cheer _me_ up."

"I was!" Lloyd hastily exclaimed to her embarrassed comment, once again not noticing the subtle hint of her blush. He sighed loudly, hanging his head in his hands as he muttered, "Damn, I'm useless... I'm sorry Sheena..."

"Don't apologize, it's okay, I get it." Sheena sighed herself, reaching out to gently pat his shoulder. She glanced over at the others, Genis was in deep conversation with Kratos about the structure of the ranch, Raine was listening attentively, as was Regal who could've been taking notes. Presea was watching them intently, looking from Colette to the others with a frown on her face. "Everyone looks so on edge..."

"Yeah..." Lloyd agreed wearily, rubbing his temples as he thought about the invasion that was to come. He felt odd, he had fought many times without Sheena by his side, but now... He frowned at himself. 'This is weird. I don't want to fight without her, it just doesn't seem right. Thinking that she'll be away from me, where I can't be with her... It makes me feel _wrong_.' Looking at her, he could see by the set of her mouth and the way her eyes had darkened that she was feeling it too, this sense of wrongness. "Sheena...?"

"I don't want to go." Her voice was oddly muted and devoid of emotion as she whispered the words, staring out listlessly in the direction of the Iselian Ranch where her friends would be leaving for soon. They hadn't left the Tower of Mana yet, still arranging themselves before they would leave for the ranch. Sheena winced as she corrected herself, 'Them, _without_ me...' Even as the giant out of control tree continued to howl in the wind and darken the skies, her heart was crying out in pain at the mere idea of separation. 'I've been travelling with them for what seems like years... Leaving now, at such a crucial time... It's not right...' "I don't like the idea of leaving you to your own devices. What if something goes wrong? I won't be able to bail you out."

"_You're_ worried about _us_?" Lloyd asked incredulously, his eyes widening in shock. The entire time he had been studying her, trying to think of the words he was going to say, he had been concerned that she was worried about being alone. Without really thinking, he started to laugh, ducking his head as his shoulders began to quiver with the force of his mirth. 'Of all things, she's worried about _us_ getting into trouble? How can she not see...?'

"What's so funny?!" Sheena demanded, jumping to her feet as angry tears stung in the corners of her eyes. The rejection was washing through her body now, swift and strong as he laughed at her. It hadn't been easy to force the words out, and she hadn't meant it in the plural form when she had expressed her worry. As selfish as she felt thinking it, the world could end as far as she was concerned, as long as she still had him at the end of things. 'And here he is, _laughing_ at me!' Hurt, angry, and beyond words, she turned away from him, ready to walk away and keep on walking regardless of where she ended up.

"Sheena, hold on!" Lloyd was on his feet with more speed than she gave him credit for, grabbing a firm hold of her shoulders to stop her from leaving. Shaking his head a little, he turned her around, explaining wearily, "Sheena, really, it's–" His words died mid-sentence as she glared at him, the angry tears having made their way down her cheeks now, giving him full evidence of how upset she was. Shocked, his hold on her loosened and she jerked away from him, turning around so he wouldn't see her cry. "Sh-Sheena...?"

Sheena said nothing, angrily swiping at her tears with the back of her hand. She was growling at herself in her mind, stomping away from the startled swordsman as quickly as her legs would carry her. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!'

"Hold it, Sheena, wait!" Lloyd gasped, running to catch up to her. She was surprisingly fleet for just coming off of a battle with the Summon Spirits of Light, but he refused to let her leave things between them so horribly. 'Martel knows what the hell could happen to either of us when we part ways...' That thought in mind, he bounded forwards and grabbed her right arm, spinning her around with one firm tug. She had instinctively raised her left to strike at him, but he easily caught that one too in his free hand, tugging her body against his. "Sheena, I wasn't laughing at you, that's not it at all. I was laughing because you were worried about us, when _we_ were worried about _you_. Understand?"

Sheena was still stubbornly looking away from him, her tears drying on her face as she set her jaw. His hand released her left arm, raising it to gently brush away the half-dried streaks from her cheek. A hint of pink coloured her face, but she didn't recoil away from the tender touch, no matter how angry she was at him, any touch was welcome.

"You dork... We're scared for you, none of us are comfortable fighting without you, you've been such a big part of our team since you joined us." Lloyd explained quietly, finishing his job of drying her face, but still his hand lingered. Her chin stiffened and he stifled another chuckle at her childish action. Tenderly brushing his knuckles over her cheek, he added quietly, "None of us want to be without you for any amount of time, and if I could, I'd be right at your side for the rest of this damn journey. It feels... It feels wrong to let you go alone."

"It feels wrong to leave you." Sheena answered wearily, raising her hand to carefully test to see if her eyes were finally dry. Lloyd captured her hand in his own, and she tried her best to control the heat that continued to rise to her face and his warm hands enveloped the both of hers. "I don't want to go, not without you. It's so stupid..."

"It's not stupid." Lloyd disagreed with a quiet laugh, amused by the tough facade she insisted on disguising herself with. He had been able to easily see through her time after time, and it was something that made him like her. 'As tough as she tries to be, she really has this feminine side to her... She's not like she pretends to be...' "Listen to me, okay? We are all going to be just fine, nothing's gonna happen to anybody, I swear."

"You can't promise that." Sheena mumbled mostly to herself, shaking her head once at Lloyd's attempt to steady her wracked nerves. The fate of her friends, _his_ fate, was out of her hands the moment they were separated and it scared her to think it was possible to lose him. She snarled angrily at her logic, annoyed by the constant throbbing in her heart as she scolded herself, 'We face that chance every damn day, why is it scaring me so much now?!'

A little voice laughed in her ear, telling her the answer to that question. _It scares you because as long as you're with him, you can stop him from getting killed. Now that you'll be separated, you can't control a single thing. If he dies, he dies without you there to save him..._

"Yes I can." Lloyd replied with a grin, placing all his faith in those words. He didn't know why it felt so important to have her believe him, but he had to hear her agree. It was a wanting more powerful than anything he had ever felt before, to see the fear and doubt leave her expression. "I _can_."

"No, you can't." Sheena sighed, knowing without really knowing why he was trying so hard to convince her. As much as she wanted to put her faith in those words, her mind knew better. The odds were just too great. 'We've overcome harsh odds before, but this... I just don't like this.' She sighed raggedly. 'There's... I just... All I want is some solid proof that he's going to come back...' Unconsciously, her fingers began to toy with the bell she wore around her neck as a tangible reminder of Corrine. Lightning struck then, and with a tiny smile she turned to Lloyd and said seriously, "Alright... You, close your eyes. I'm going to make sure you come back."

"How are you going to do that?" Lloyd asked curiously, raising one eyebrow at the hint of mischief sparkling in her eyes. She just shook her head and motioned for him to follow her orders, a little smile curving her lips. Deciding to indulge her, he made a show of closing his eyes and not peeking.

Sheena slowly unclasped the chain that she had threaded through Corrine's tiny golden bell, keeping her hands as steady as possible to not give away what she was doing. She tiptoed closer, her movements calm and precise as she put the necklace on him. Her fingers brushing the back of his neck accidentally, sending a delicious shiver up her spine as he inhaled sharply at the touch. Hopping away mostly out of instinct than want, she calmed her heart before commanding pleasantly, "Alright, open your eyes."

Lloyd did as he was told, not noticing what she had done until he shook his head to clear out the static that had begun buzzing in his ears the moment her skin met his. The gentle chiming of the bell caught his attention, and he looked down to see it hanging around his collar, glinting silver in the dying sunlight. Surprise filled him as he stared up at her with wide eyes, stammering over his words as he tried to argue with her gentle smile, "Wh-Whoa, Sheena, I can't keep this! This is Corrine's–!"

"Of course you can't keep it, dummy." Sheena scolded gently, her eyes focussed on the bell as it twinkled as he moved. She felt oddly naked without the bell around her, as though Corrine's spirit was no longer with her. The urge to take it back was nearly overwhelming, but she forced herself to keep her hands where they were. "I'm expecting it back the second you set foot in Iselia." She added warningly, mischief dancing in her eyes as the threat died out, "And if it has a single scratch on it, it's your head, got it?"

Lloyd smiled gently, raising his hand to brush his gloved fingers gently against the precious memento. She had taken to wearing the bell as a necklace after the death of her friend, it was incredibly rare for him to see her without it. He understood the trust that was going into her giving him the trinket, even if only for a borrowed time. She really was expecting him back, it was a sign that against all of her logical reasoning, that she was going to have faith. "You'll get it back in perfect condition, I promise." Without really thinking about what he was doing, he reached into his pocket and dug out the angel bracelet he had received from Dirk for good luck. "Here, you keep this then, we'll call it for swaps."

"Where'd you get this?" Sheena asked with raised eyebrows, looking at the halo-like bracelet curiously. She slid it onto her wrist regardless, admiring the way the gold metal sparkled in the fading sun. A little smile raised her lips as she examined the bracelet, liking the way it hugged her skin and seemed to warm her entire arm. "It's... really pretty..."

"Yeah, I think it suits you better than it does me to be honest." Lloyd grinned as he watched her turn her hand this way and that to catch the sparkles of light. Patting the bracelet gently, he explained, "Dad gave it to me when we started out from Iselia, he said it's supposed to bring good luck... So, maybe it'll bring me you."

Sheena felt the familiar heat of a blush staining her cheeks, and she lowered her eyes out of embarrassment, unconsciously fiddling with the bracelet. She knew he was grinning at her, but she couldn't bring herself to look up at him. 'Stupid idiot...' She felt his hand rest on the top of her head, and she risked a peek up at the swordsman, seeing the fond expression he was wearing. Completely shocked by the warmth in his eyes, she found herself wishing she could disappear so he wouldn't see how embarrassed she was. Turning around hastily, she murmured softly, "I'll be back soon Lloyd... Be careful."

Lloyd took a firm hold of her arm, spinning her around for the second time that day, tugging her into his arms. She gasped softly as she landed safely in his chest, and without a second to waste, he embraced her tightly, closing his eyes as he held the startled summoner close. "You be careful too Sheena... I want to see you again."

Blushing fiercely at their close proximity, Sheena only managed a muffled sound of surprise before her entire body melted. Very slowly, she raised her arms to hug him back, clutching his shoulders as she buried her face into his chest. Her heart was thudding painfully in her ear as she touched him, but she couldn't let herself draw away from the embrace. 'Who knows if I'll ever get the chance to do this again... I should make good on my feelings at least for now...' "I'll be just fine Lloyd... You watch yourself out there... for me. I want you back in one piece."

"Is two not good enough?" Lloyd teased, unable to help it. He only ended up earning a swift punch in the chest, leaving him breathless. Chuckling weakly and he gingerly rubbed the spot where she hit him, he saw the ferocity in her topaz eyes that told him she meant those words with more passion than he had guessed. "I'll be perfectly fine too."

"Lloyd... Don't make me regret trusting you." Sheena whispered, closing her eyes tightly as she hugged him close again, savouring the warmth of his arms around her body and his seductive scent of leather and skin. She took a deep breath, saving this moment and storing every single sensation into her mind for later use. Unable to bear being in his arms for another moment, she hurriedly pushed him away, turning around and dashing out of his reach before he had a chance to catch her again.

Lloyd watched impassively as she danced away from him, pausing when they were a good distance apart before she turned around. Even with the distance, he saw her cheeks were still red, and there were silver tears trickling down her face as she raised her hand to wave at him. 'My arms... feel painfully empty...' Robotically, he raised his hand too, returning the wave as he forced a smile onto his face so not to worry her.

"Lloyd!" She called loudly, cupping her hands around her mouth to amplify her voice. He put a hand around his ear to show her that he could hear, and with a devilish smile, she hollered, "I bet you fifty Gald I make it back to Iselia before you do!"

"You're on!" Lloyd hollered back, his voice breaking as he started to laugh. Of course she would try to break the tension with a joke, even as her smile became painful for him to see. Though he was hoping with all his heart, the doubt was suffocating, and it was all he could to not hold her tightly against him and never let her go. "Keep your Gald ready then, I don't want you to be dead broke when I beat you!"

"Heh, in your dreams Irving!" Sheena turned around then, towards the waiting Renegades that would be taking her to the Mana Cannon. She didn't trust any of them as far as she could throw them, and as her arms idly settled around her waist, she risked a peek over her shoulder to see him still watching her. Smiling a little to herself, Sheena quickly brushed her hand across her face to remove her tears as she began to walk towards her enemies' enemy.

'Don't make me regret trusting you, Lloyd... Not with my heart at any rate...' She smiled wearily, reaching to touch the bare space of her neck where Corrine's bell should have been hanging. Closing her eyes for a moment, she envisioned Lloyd standing behind her, watching as she walked away. She could see Corrine perched on his shoulder, also watching as he always had. With a weak smile, she whispered under her breath, "Bring him back to me, Corrine... Please."

**AN**

**I always wished this scene had a better parting then it did, lol. I don't know why, it just seemed so jumpy in a way... It was like "you go to the MC" and she seemed so hesitant in that moment, like she wanted to tell him something but couldn't get the words out... I wanted to try and capture the awkwardness she might be feeling... Bleh XD And as for the swapping thing, it seemed like a good idea at the time...? And the last line, I'm very fond of it for an odd reason, so I took my beta's awesome advice and tried to rearrange it as best I could... Lol, it seems like it worked. Depending on some things, I may or may not post a companion piece of what happens when they two reunite. I'd like to see who wants to see it first, but then again, I may just do it anyway. XD I have another fic in the works, and I wanna ask, anyone like comedy? XD**

**Sky**


	2. The Bracelet

Lloyd sighed wearily as he watched Kratos' back disappear into the forest, the angel didn't even bother to give him one last glance before he disappeared into the shadows. He kicked idly at a stone in his path, grunting a few choice words under his breath before wincing as the anger stretched at the half-healed wound in his chest. 'Damn... That Forcystus was tough, really tough... We barely held our own there for awhile... If it wasn't for Kratos, we all might have been dead...'

_"That is why war is so tragic..."_

"Dammit." Lloyd grunted angrily, kicking another stone into the grass, hearing the gentle chiming of Corrine's bell at his sudden movement. With a weary sigh, he sat on the bridge, his feet barely touching the tiny river as he looked up at the cloudy sky. The scab pulled angrily at any sudden movement he made, so he tried to calm his breathing as best he could and he let his mind wander. 'I wonder how she is right now...'

"_Lloyd... Don't make me regret trusting you."_

Her words had rung in his ears since she had left, and he had still yet to truly grasp her meaning behind them. 'It was such a weird thing for her to say, I had no idea what she really meant... I'll have to ask her...' His hand absently went to the bell, turning it this way and that in the dim sunlight, listening to the near-silent chime. 'Sheena... I hope you're okay...'

Two hands suddenly closed over his eyes and he started as a warm weight was applied to his back, keeping him from moving. His hands flew up to rest on thin wrists and he almost immediately calmed when he heard the gentle laugh he knew so well. Grinning, he listened to her whisper into his ear, "Guess who?"

"That sounds like the voice of an angel, let me guess..." Lloyd teased, closing his eyes as he sat there in mock-thought, enjoying the feel of her body pressed up against his back. 'She feels warm...' Tilting his head back a little, he asked half-seriously, "Hmm... Martel?"

"Nope, guess again."

Chuckling mostly to himself, Lloyd squeezed her wrists tenderly, hearing her soft laughter in his ear. Corrine's bell chimed loudly, as if the Summon Spirit was watching them and laughing along. "Alright... If you're not Martel, then you definitely have to be the next best thing..." Unable to keep it up, his voice turned serious, "Sheena."

"Good, I thought you were going to call me Professor Sage. I would've killed you." Sheena laughed, letting her hands drop from his face as she moved fluidly to sit beside him. He grinned broadly at her, and she sighed softly before grinning brightly at him, winking playfully, "So I guess you beat me here, I owe you fifty, huh?"

"Nah, save your Gald, it doesn't matter." Lloyd chuckled as she half-heartedly reached for her pouch, flashing her a winning grin that made her giggle. He was amazed by how relieved he felt to hear her laugh, even if it was at something as stupid as a bet. He saw her eyes flicker from his face to his chest, seeing the bell that still hung around his neck, and he watched as the doubt lifted from her shoulders and a gentle smile lit her face. "I told you I'd give it back to you in perfect condition." He slowly unclasped the chain, depositing the bell gently into her open hands before he froze, his eyes widening a little a she saw the state of her skin. "Sh-Sheena..."

Instinctively, Sheena pulled her hands to her chest, blushing self-consciously as they closed around the bell. 'He saw...' Without a word, Lloyd extended his hands, motioning for her to do the same so he could have a look at her injuries. She only hesitated for a fraction of a second before she gave him her hands, holding them out palms-up so he could study her wounds.

Lloyd frowned as he examined her burnt skin, his gloved hands moving gently over the numerous scratches and bruises along her fingers. She wasn't looking at him, her eyes closed in shame as she bit her lower lip. With a weary sigh, Lloyd took off his gloves and reached into his pocket where he kept a supply of bandages and a few gels just in case. She didn't say a word even as she applied some of the solution to her hands, though she hissed a little in pain and he hastened the process to keep the pain to a minimum. "What happened?"

"We got into a bit of a skirmish before we got into the tower... I ended up exhausting a lot of my mana before I even got the chance to Summon for the damn cannon..." Sheena explained tiredly, watching Lloyd's progress with her hands. His were surprisingly gentle considering the roughness of his calloused fingers, and she blushed fiercely as an unbidden image of those strong hands moving somewhere on her other than her hands. Forcing her eyes to remain in her lap, she continued in a low murmur, "It took a lot out of me to do the Summons, my mana killed my hands in the process... I didn't have time to stop to see a healer on my way back here, I was too..." She stopped mid-sentence, the crimson spreading to her very hairline as she realized what she had almost said.

"Too...?" Lloyd asked with raised eyebrows, finishing with the bandaging. She quickly withdrew her hands, much to his inner disappointment and confusion, and he was overwhelmed with the odd urge to snatch them back. Deciding to give in to that strange desire, he gently seized her wrists and pulled her closer, his eyes locked on hers, waiting for her to finish what she had started.

"I was too scared to stop." Sheena finished lamely, looking down at her hands as she was sure steam was now pouring from her ears. He didn't reply, and as the pressure mounted, the embarrassed summoner blurted, "I was too scared to stop because I had no idea how you guys had managed and it scared me to think I might've lost you!"

Lloyd tried his best to stop the smile from spreading across his lips at her confession, finding her embarrassment quite charming. He had never seen the normally calm woman so flustered before, it was cute. Without really thinking, he reached out to gently tuck a lock of her dark hair behind her ear, commenting sweetly, "Well, we're all alright, so that's the important thing."

Sheena bit her lower lip as he completely shot and missed at her hint, and with a low sigh, she decided to not bother trying to correct him. Looking down at her lap again, she realized with a jolt that she still wore the bracelet he had given her, and she automatically reached up to take it off when his hand covered hers to stop her. Looking up in confusion, she silently asked him what was going on.

"I told you already, it looks better on you than on me. Keep it." Lloyd told her pleasantly, sliding the bracelet back up her wrist, his fingers lingering on her pale skin for longer than probably necessary. He ran them down her bandages, checking to make sure they hadn't come loose and he smiled with satisfaction.

"Lloyd..." Sheena began, sensing that beneath his words that the bracelet had more value than he was letting on. She paused however when she saw a flash of pain flicker in his eyes, and his hand automatically raised to touch his chest as his teeth grit. Immediately concerned, the summoner leaned forwards, asking worriedly, "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm just fine." Lloyd answered her after a long moment, turning to flash her a carefree smile, but he could see by the set of her mouth that she didn't believe him. With a weary sigh, he slowly unbuttoned his shirt and pulled aside the sleeve to let her have a look at the open wound on his chest. Her eyes widened in alarm, and he shook his head and explained quietly, "It looks worse than it is, trust me, it doesn't hurt all that much..."

"Why didn't you get Raine to heal you?" Sheena asked, completely dumbfounded as she watched his blood soak slowly through his shirt. The red fabric managed to camouflage the crimson fluid, but she could see from the set of his jaw that it truly did hurt him, and a shock of worry raced down her spine. "It looks bad!"

"Raine exhausted her mana healing most of the refugees from the ranch, she couldn't heal a bruise with how she is right now. She's been resting in the basement since we got back." Lloyd explained tiredly, cringing a little as Sheena slowly pulled back his shirt to get a better look at the oozing gash. "I put a gel on it and that seemed like it'd be enough... It's only been bleeding a little."

"Only been bleeding a little?!" Sheena exclaimed with raised eyebrows, reacting without a thought as she clipped him soundly above the ear. She tugged his shirt closed, winding her arm tightly around his shoulders as she hauled him to his feet, his gasp of pain echoing loudly in her ears. "I'm going to treat this myself then. Where's your room in your house?"

"Upstairs." Lloyd answered her instantly, knowing exactly when to tease and to obey when her tone changed so suddenly. Grateful though for her help, he leaned slightly on her as she helped him down the bridge and into the house. He couldn't see Raine or Genis when he entered, and with a sigh he assumed they probably were still downstairs, resting and talking quietly about what had happened at Iselia. He couldn't see Colette anywhere, and with a muttered curse, he stopped looking. She had made it rather clear that she didn't really want to speak with anyone just yet. 'She needs her privacy...'

Regal, Presea, and Zelos were by the window, talking in low tones. When the door swung open, they all turned as one to see the two young warriors, sparing them a nod as a greeting. Sheena raised one eyebrow as Zelos turned away immediately from her instead of giving the normal greeting she had come to expect, but she wasn't about to complain as she aided Lloyd up the stairs.

He pretty much collapsed on his bed with a muffled grunt, and with an eyeroll, Sheena joined him, pulling out the first-aid kit she had snatched from the table on their way up."You're an idiot, you know that? You really should have gotten the stupid Chosen to heal you if Raine couldn't do it..." Sheena muttered under her breath as she helped him remove his shirt. Her eyes wanted to wander over his toned torso, but she forced them to study the oozing wound. The slash wound sat right over his heart and extended over his shoulder, but it looked worse than it was upon closer study.

"Damn... That would've been a good idea." Lloyd muttered mostly to himself, closing his eyes as he felt Sheena's hands moving gently to clean his wound. They felt like feathers brushing over his skin, sending little shivers up and down his body, stirring something warm inside of his chest. He could hear her murmuring mostly to herself, and every once and awhile he would feel a gentle caress on his hair, as though she was reminding him that she was still by his side. 'It feels nice... to let her do this... She's right, I should've told Zelos, but... I wanted to see her...'

"It's not nearly as bad as I thought..." Sheena sighed, fixing the last of the bandages around his torso to fully keep the wound contained. She settled back, cleaning her hands on a wet rag she had fetched from downstairs, and she settled herself on the edge of the small bed to watch him. He no longer had the slighter build of the teenage boy she remembered meeting on the Ossa Trail, he had toned his body well into one of a young man. Something in his face had changed as well, a certain hardness of maturity that one couldn't gain simply by living. Not really thinking about it, she reached out to slowly trace the bandage, hearing him sigh at the touch. She smiled just a little, scooting a little bit closer to ask softly, "Do you feel better...? I'm no Raine, but I know how to dress wounds well enough..."

"It feels good." Lloyd answered with a nod, opening one eye to watch her turn crimson with pleasure, toying her a lock of her hair in embarrassment. He was almost happy at the moment to not have gone to Zelos, he doubted he would have ever gotten such treatment from the redheaded male, this was no doubt more pleasurable than any First-Aid. With her help, he managed to sit upright again, casting a regretful eye at his bloody shirt. "Well, that's going to be out of use for awhile..."

"I'll clean it tonight when you get some rest, don't worry." Sheena assured him, watching his face light up as though she had just promised him a treat. She laughed quietly before tousling his hair, easing into a more comfortable position by his side, "Right now you need to get some sleep."

"I'm not really all that tired." Lloyd replied stubbornly, taking a firm hold of her hands when she made to draw away. She only sighed with exasperation before returning to his side, and he leaned his head on her shoulder, breathing in the heady floral scent of her hair. It only tightened the odd knot in his stomach, but he ignored it while she shuffled closer to him.

Sheena turned her attention to the sparkling bracelet around her wrist, curiosity getting the best of her. Turning the braclet in the light from the window, she watched it sparkle and shine before she asked curiously, "So, would you mind telling me where you got this?"

"I got it from Dad." Lloyd answered with a shrug, but even as he said it, some part of his mind was shaking his head at the simple answer. He slowly took her hand in between his own, examining the bracelet with a more careful eye, frowning just a little as something stirred in the darkest parts of his memory. 'A... A warm smell... Something... gentle...'

"_Lloyd, stay away from the edge, you don't want to trip, do you?"_

Sheena noticed the little frown on his face as he examined the bracelet, and slowly she removed it. Slipping it silently into his hands, she watched as he studied it with a faraway expression.

He turned it over in his palms, absently caressing the smooth metal, muttering to himself, "Something... warm... A voice... I can't place it..."

Sheena bit her lower lip, stopping herself from questioning the origins of the trinket. She knew how sensitive he still was about the issue of his true parentage, especially when it came to Kratos. If she could help it, she wouldn't do anything to hurt him. But something in the way he held his mouth made her want to embrace him, to banish the look of sadness that haunted his childlike eyes. Very slowly, she moved closer to him, murmuring softly, scared to say something to provoke him, "Do you think maybe it was Anna's?"

"I... I remember the smell of lavender every time I think of her... But I can never put an image to the scent." Lloyd muttered mostly to himself, barely glancing up at the summoner as he stared at the bracelet. He had never given the trinket much thought before, his adoptive father had handed it to him rather gruffly, telling him it was a symbol of good luck. But now... Sheena had somehow stirred something deep in his mind, giving rise to questions he had never asked before. "Why wouldn't he tell me...?"

"You already knew about the Exsphere, maybe he wanted to let Anna keep an eye on you in secrecy." Sheena suggested half-heartedly, but when he looked up, she turned her eyes down to her lap, worried to offend him. A small spike of envy throbbed in her chest, causing her to frown a little. 'I never knew anything about my family... I only had the chief, for the short amount of time he was with me... He's so lucky but in so much pain at the same time... I feel so... selfish...'

Lloyd had noticed her preoccupation, and without a thought he reached out to touch her shoulder, not liking the look of sadness in her topaz eyes. The warm eyes he had come to admire over the past few months never looked as beautiful when she frowned. "Sheena? Are you okay? You look... sad."

"Lloyd... Can I... Can I tell you something?"

"Sure." Lloyd watched her curiously, not liking her low tone and how she bit her lower lip nervously, drawing a bit away from him like she was worried she had something infectious. Sitting up a little straighter, he shuffled the distance and answered her firmly, "You can always tell me anything that you want to Sheena."

"I... I-I'm not from Mizuho... I don't know where I'm f-from actually." Sheena sighed, her body caving in on itself as she let the words flow. They seemed to pile up on themselves as she began, but soon they flowed easily past her lips as the story came out. 'Why does he make it so easy to do anything...?' "Gr– Chief, he found me as a baby in Gaoracchia Forest by chance, he raised me as his own granddaughter... I was abandoned, just like Genis and Raine..." She cringed before she continued softly, "I never knew anything about my parents, or my family, I have no idea where I was born or why I was left in the forest like I was... When I was seven, he took me to the Summon Spirit research laboratory to show the kingdom that Mizuho was faithful to them. That's where I met Corrine, and first learned how to deal with Summon Spirits."

"You mean you were used like a bargaining chip?" Lloyd asked in outrage, his entire body stiffening once more as the anger washed through him at the injustice. He was still mildly shocked at her weary confession, it took all he had not to hug her close, he was unsure of whether or not she really wanted him comfort.

"Well, yeah, but I wasn't angry or anything, I was happy." Sheena explained wearily, a hint of a smile curving her lips as she rested at his side, looking at the sheets nervously as she began to fiddle with them out of nervous habit. "I wanted to be of use to him, sort of so I could pay him back for all of his kindness. He didn't have to take me in, or raise me either, he could have easily sent me off to some orphanage in Meltokio. Y'know?"

"I see..." Lloyd spoke slowly to soothe his anger, but she truly was smiling as she spoke about the chief and that helped him calm down. He'd never seen her smile so tenderly before, a warmth had melted her eyes and turned them soft, something he had wanted to see for a very long time.

"I was inexperienced though, and I caused the deaths of so many people, like Kuchinawa and Orochi's parents, and then I put the chief into a coma..." She winced as her last words burnt like bile on her tongue, prickling dangerously at her eyes as her necklace weighed heavily on her chest, "And then Corrine... My first true friend... I hated my ability to Summon, all it ever seemed to do was cause people pain..."

"Sheena, your power has helped us out plenty of times, and if you weren't able to Summon, we never would've been able to stop the Giant Tree." Lloyd pointed out gently, reaching to take a hold of her hands in his, glad when she let him, scooting just a bit closer so their shoulders were brushing now. "Yeah, we did mess up a lot, but the Renegades are just as at fault as we are. If they had known what they were talking about, we wouldn't be in this stupid mess in the first place."

"Heh... You're always such an optimist..." Sheena laughed weakly, leaning her head on his shoulder, enjoying the feeling of his arm around her. She sighed contentedly, not remembering when she had felt so at peace ever in her life. His fingers were casually brushing her arm as they sat together in silence, and she snuggled a little closer into his left side, breathing in the warm scent of his skin and a spice she couldn't name, it always brought her an odd sense of comfort. 'Martel, he smells so good... What am I doing to myself sitting here with him like this...?'

"It helps when I'm surrounded by people who'll fight through anything." Lloyd informed her cheerfully, watching as her lips quirked in a smile. Laughing quietly, he found himself toying with the few strands of hair that had escaped her messy ponytail, watching as she squirmed this way and that as though he was tickling her. Quite pleased with this newfound information, Lloyd moved his index finger down the base of her neck, listening to her muffled giggle before her body began to squirm again. "You're ticklish?"

"Don't broadcast it!" Sheena grumbled loudly, shuffling away from him before his arms caught her around the waist and pulled her back to his side. He didn't continue to tickle her however, so she settled quickly into his arms with a little sigh. She felt his hand around her wrist, then she gasped softly when she felt the bracelet he had been holding slide over her hand. "Wh-" Hastily turning so she could see his face, she held the item loosely, demanding, "B-But, this! L-Lloyd, I can't take this from you, it's your mother's!"

"I know." Lloyd answered her cheerfully, smiling in the face of her shock. She tried to take it off, but he trapped her hands in his, shaking his head once as she continued to stare up at him like he'd lost his mind. Gently running his index finger over the smooth gold, he spoke quietly, "I want you to keep it for me, Sheena... I think... I think Mom would've wanted me to give it to you, or at least to someone special to me, you understand? It suits you more than it would me."

"B-B-But..." Sheena stammered, looking from the twin swordsman to the bracelet in absolute confusion. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire from the gentle smile he was wearing, and needing to hide her face, she quickly ducked into his shoulder, closing her eyes tightly as his arms wound around her. "Lloyd... Are– Are you sure...?"

"Yeah, I'm sure... Keep it Sheena, I want you to have it." Lloyd answered her simply, hugging her close, burying his face in her hair as she relaxed against him, sighing wearily into his shoulder. It felt oddly right at that moment to hold her close, to feel her body pressed against his in a way no one had ever touched him before.

"Th-Thank you Lloyd, it's beautiful... I'll treasure it always..." Sheena whispered, looking at the bracelet as he held her, feeling the sting of happy tears in the corners of her eyes. With a shaky laugh, she hid her face in his neck again, enjoying the embrace. 'Martel knows I'm in love with the idiot... I'll enjoy this for as long as I possibly can...'

"_Oh, Kratos... Did you get this for me?"_

"_... I heard that this bracelet was good luck, I assumed it couldn't possibly be hurtful to have a trinket on our journey, we could use all the luck we could get in these times. Do you... Do you like it, Anna?"_

"_Thank you Kratos, it's beautiful. I'll treasure it always."_

**AN**

**Why did I put the last few lines in there? I have no idea. (shaky laugh) I guess, I just kinda wanted to... And yes, Sheena said the exact same thing as Anna did when she received the bracelet (XD), it was meant to be like that. Yay for cheesiness! Though I have to admit, writing about Anna and Lloyd's past, it was surprisingly difficult. I wanted to be as close as I could possibly get to the canon, but at the same time, do we have ANY idea whatsoever about this woman and how she acted? I won't claim artistic licence because that feels like a copout, so decide whatever you decide.**

**So, thanks to all who reviewed, and biggest thanks to my trusted beta, LikeaGlintofLight, I have no idea what I'd do without you XD**

**Sky**


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